The Reality of Crunch in Game Development Studios

The director of Baldur’s Gate 3 and CEO of developers Larian recently opened up about the challenges faced by the studio during the development of the sprawling Dungeons & Dragons CRPG. Swen Vincke acknowledged that there was indeed a period of crunch involved in order to complete the game, although he emphasized that it was significantly less severe than in previous projects such as Divinity.

A Different Approach to Crunch

During a Q&A session at a developer conference, Vincke addressed concerns about excessive working hours and the impact on the team. He explained that while there were unforeseen circumstances that led to some overtime, it was not a regular occurrence and staff were compensated for their extra hours. Unlike the stereotypical image of crunch in the gaming industry, Larian’s office was typically empty by 8pm and weekend work was a rare occurrence.

One interesting approach that Larian took was utilizing their multiple studios around the world to distribute the workload more evenly. This allowed developers to work around the clock on the game without having any single team bear the brunt of late nights or weekends. By spreading out the work in this manner, Larian was able to minimize the need for extended working hours and maintain a healthier work-life balance for their employees.

A Balanced Perspective on Crunch

Vincke’s take on the situation was that while a small amount of overtime was inevitable when trying to complete a complex project like Baldur’s Gate 3, it did not reach the level of what is commonly referred to as “crunch.” He acknowledged that some extra hours were required, but they were not excessive and were compensated fairly. Despite some skepticism, Vincke maintained that the team did not overly rely on crunch to meet deadlines.

With the successful launch of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the positive feedback on their approach to managing workload, Larian Studios is poised to continue improving their practices in future projects. While Vincke confirmed that there are no plans for Baldur’s Gate 4 or DLC, the focus on reducing crunch and prioritizing employee well-being will likely carry over to their upcoming endeavors. By learning from their experiences and implementing more effective strategies, Larian aims to minimize crunch and create a more sustainable work environment for their team.